Automatic releasable grapple tongs for barrels and the like



June 22, 1965 w, BQPP 3,190,685

AuToMATlc HELE/,SABLE GRAPPLE Tones Fon BARRELs Ann THE LIKE Filed Nov. 2e, 196s 2 Sheetshe'et 1 Y MQ@ Aff P y' June 22, 1965 c. w. BOPP 3,190,685

AUTOMATIC RELEASABLE GRAPPLE TONGS FOR BARRELS AND THE LIKE Filed Nov. 26, 1963 2 Sheets-Sheet 2v United States Patent Cce 3,190,685 Patented June 22, 1965 3,190,685 AUTMATIC RELEASABLE GRAPPLE TONGS FOR BARRELS AND THE LIKE Cecil W. Bopp, Waterloo, Iowa, assigner to The Greater Iowa Corporation, Des Moines, Iowa, a corporation of Iowa Filed Nov. 26, 1963, Ser. No. 326,077 18 Claims. (Cl. 294-90) This invention relates -to grapple tongs for barrels or the like for use by an overhead boom to move the barrels from one location to another. Manyitems of commerce are stored and shipped in conventional steel barrels, and lifting booms are often employed to move the barrels yfrom place to place as they are being stored, or as they are being l-oaded or unloaded in connection with shipment. Normally, each boom operator must utilize the services of a helper Vto connect the boom to a barrel, and the helper (or another person) must disconnect the boom from the barrel after the barrel has been lifted or moved. This obviously entails much inconvenience when barrels are being lifted from a dock into a railroad car, for example.

Therefore, a principal object of this invention is to i provide grapple tongs for barrels or the like which will automatically release the barrel after the barrel has been moved and the lifting pressure on the tongs has been released.

A further object of this invention is to provide grapple tongs for barrels or the like which will automatically move its barrel-engaging mechanism to an inoperative position when the lifting force on the tongs is released, and which will thereafter remain inoperative until manually adjusted to prevent the tongs from again gripping the barrel as they are withdrawn therefrom.

A still further object of this invention is to provide grapple tongs for .barrels or the like which can have its operating parts adjusted to secure maximum operational efciency.

A still further object of this invention is to provide grapple tongs for barrels or the like which will safely and rmly grip a barrel rim. l

A still further object of this invention is to provide grapple tongs for barrels or the like which, when used in pairs, can be used to grasp a barrel regardless of whether the barrel is in a vertical or horizontal position.

A still further object of this invention is to provide grapple tongs for barrels or the like which is economical of manufacture, durable in use and refined in appearan.

These and other objects will be apparent to those skilled in the art.

This invention consists in the construction, arrangements, and combination of the various parts of the device, whereby the objects contemplated are attained a-s herein- Iafter more fully `set forth, specifically pointed out inthel claims, and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. l is a side elevational view of the grapple tong unit of this invention as it rests in its inoperative position on top of a barrel structure;

FIG. 2 is a side elevational view of the grapple tong unit of FIG. 1 in an operative position as it grips the rim of a barrel;

FIG. 3 is a partial elevational View of a pair of tong units of this invention which are employed by anoverhead lifting mechanism to engage and grip the top rim of a vertically disposed barrel;

FIG. 4 is a partial elevational View of a pair of tong uni-ts engaging a barrel in a horizontal position;

FIG. 5 is a schematic perspective view of the principal components of the grapple tong herein contemplated; and

FIG. 6 is a side elevational view of one grapple tong unit as the barrel is being lifted.

The numeral 10 generally designates a lower elongated horizontal bracket which has a substantially flat horizontal bottom portion 12 that normally engages the top of a barrel. The forward end of bracket 10 (FIG. 5) extends upwardly and outwardly from bottom portion 12 and terminates in hook 14. Parallel vertical side members 16 extend upwardly and outwardly from bottom portion 12 towards the opposite or rearward end of bracket 10. The upper and outer ends of side members 16 terminate beyond the end of bottom portion v12, and present vertical bearing surfaces 18 immediately above the end of the bottom portion, and present upwardly and outwardly extending bearing surfaces 20 above and beyond the end of the bottom portion. Inclined lugs 22 extend laterally outwardly from side members 16 and spring retaining pins 24 extend rearwardly therefrom. A bearing block 26 (FIGS. 1 and 2) is rigidly secured to bottom portion 12 near it-s rearward end and a horizontal adjust-ment screw 28 threadably extends therethrough. Pairs of horizontally aligned apertures 30 and 32 are located in the -side members 16 as shown in FG. 5.

Upper bracket -34 includes a flat bottom portion 36. Spaced apart bearing elements 38 on the rearward end thereof are adapted to receive bearing lelement 40 of finger means 42 therebetween. -Pin 43 extends through bea-ring elements 33 -and 40 to pivotally connect nger means 42 to bracket 34. Finger elements 44 and 46 extend away from bearing element 40 and are separated by an angle of more than degrees but less than 180idegrees.` A leaf spring 47 is secured by one of its ends to `finger 46, and its other end engages the top of bottom portion 36 to normally yieldably hold the finger means 42 in the position shown in FIG. 1.

-Parallel vertical side members 4S (FIG. 5) extend upwardly and rearwardly from the bottom portion 36 of bracket 34 and terminate in downwardly and outwardly bearing surfaces 50. A bearing bar 52 rigidly interconnects the lower portions of bearing surfaces 50. Pairs of horizontally aligned apertures 54 and 56 appear in side member 43, and apertures 56 are adapted to register `with the apertures 32 in the side members 16 of bracket l10, as Iwill be hereinafter indicated. The lower outer ends of side members 48 extend downwardly and for-wardly and terminate in lugs 5S which are oppositely disposed in spaced relation 4to the pins 24 on -bracket 10. The rearward upper ends of side members 16 of bracket 1? are adapted to extend upwardly into the space between the side members 4S beyond the rearward end of the bottom portion 36 of bracket 34. `Pin 60 extends through the registering apertures 32 and 56 of brackets 10 and 34, respectively, to pivotally secure the two brackets together. It will be noted (FIGS. l and 2) that the bearing surfaces Ztl on bracket are positioned opposite to bearing bar 52 of bracket 36 so that the bar serves to limit the pivotal connection between the brackets. Springs 61 have their opposite ends mounted on pins 24 and lugs 58 of brackets 1t) and 34, respectively, and the springs normally urge the bottom portions of brackets to pivot toward each other, and urge the bearing surfaces 20 on bracket 10 out of engagement with bearing bar 52 on bracket 34. Lugs 22 on bracket 1) limit the downward movement of bracket 34.

A tongue element 62 is pivotally secured to brackets 10 and 34 by the pin 6i) which pivotally secures the brackets together. As previously indicated, the side members 16 of bracket 10 are mounted within the side members 4? of bracket 34, and the tongue element 62 is positioned within and between the side members of the bracket 1t).

Tongue element 62 includes an upper block portion 63 that includes an L-shaped bearing surface 64 on its rearward face comprised of vertical bearing surface 66 and a horizontal lip 68. The pin at) extends through bore 7) to effect the connection of the tongue element to the brackets 10 and 34. A substantially horizontal slit 72 extends rearwardly from the forward face of the upper block portion 63 of tongue element 62, and the inner end of slit '72 terminates in bore 74. The slit 72 divides the forward part of the block portion 63 into upper jaw 76 and lower jaw 7S (FIG. 5). A screw 81) with head S2 extends downwardly through a smooth bore in the upper jaw '76, and its lower end extends through the slit '72 and is threadably received within a threaded aperture in the lower jaw 7S. Screws 84 threadably extend through suitable apertures in the upper jaw 76 and their lower ends terminate within the slit 72. The tightening of screw S0 tends to close the slit 72, and the downward rotation of screws 34 tends to spread the slit.

The lower jaw 78 has a bottom tapered surface 85 which extends downwardly and rearwardly, and surface 86 terminates in an arcuate cam surface 8S which curves upwardly and then extends rearwardly. The screws St) and 84 can adjust the position of the cam surface 85 by opening or closing the slit 72 in the manner indicated.

This adjustment can compensate for inadequate manufacturing tolerances or wear on the component parts of the unit.

The lower rearward portion of tongue element 62 terminates in a locking jaw 9i) which extends downwardly from the bottom rear portion of the upper block portion 63. law 9G includes a substantially flat vertical rearward surface 92 which terminates in a tapered surface 94. A vertical bearing surface 96 extends upwardly from the bottom of tapered surface 94 and terminates in a horizontal lip 9S. Vertical bearing surface 161i extends upwardly from lip 98 and joins the rearward end of cam surface 88. Note the clearance 141 between the rim 14d and side wall 138 of barrel 136, and the bearing surfaces 96 and 1511i of jaw 96 (FlGURES 2 and 6).

Horizontal bores 162 (FlG. 2) extend forwardly from surface 92 and receive threaded plugs 1&4 in their outer ends. Bores 162 terminate in apertures 105 and a plunger 106 is adapted to slidably extend through apertures 195 to protrude at times from the bearing surface 109. A head 168 on each plunger 106 slidably dwells within eachbore 104, and spring 11i) between plugs 104 and the heads 168 normally urge the plungers to extend outwardly from surface 100.

A cam lever 112 includes a horizontal bearing 114 which has a horizontal bore which is adapted to register with apertures 30 on bracket 1t). Pin 116 extends through the apertures 30 and the bearing 114 to pivotally connect the cam lever 112 to the bracket 11i. A stop lug 113 extends downwardly from bearing 114 and is adapted to be adjustably engaged by screw 2S on bracket 1t). Spaced apart ears 12@ extend upwardly from bearing 114 and pin 122 extends therebetween. Cam roller 124 is rotatably mounted on pin 122 and is adapted to engage the cam surface SS on tongue element 62.

A rod 125 has its rearward end rigidly secured to the forward center portion of bearing 114, and the rod extends upwardly and forwardly therefrom, and thence terminates in a horizontal portion 126. The forward end of rod 124 is L-shaped and is bent downwardly to engage at times the forward end of portion 12 of bracket 1t). A lip 123 is formed on the forward end of rod 124 and is engaged at times by the lower end of finger element 44 on bracket 34.

A bearing pin 130 (FlGS. l and 2) with bushing 132 thereon extends through apertures 54 in bracket 34 to serve as a means for connecting the bracket 1t) to the chain 134 of a lifting means.

A conventional barrel 136 with cylindrical side walls 138 has a heavy metal rim 14S which extends beyond the 4 ends 142 of the barrel. In addition, rims 140 extend slightly outwardly from the barrel walls 138.

The normal operation of the device of the invention is as follows: When the unit is to be attached to the upper rim of the vertically disposed barrel in FIG. 3, the cornponent parts thereof are in the general positions shown in FIG. l with the cam lever 112 being in its lowered position and the finger means 42 being rotated so that finger element 44 is in a vertical position to prevent the cam lever from being moved upwardly towards ,bracket 34. The cam roller 124 is forwardly from the cam surface Sti of tongue element 62, and engages the tongue element on the tapered surface 86 thereof. This phenomenon serves to operationally disengage the cam lever 112 from the brackets 10 and 34, and from the tongue element 62, and the tongue element 62 is held in the position of lilG. 1 with the locking jaw being moved away from locking engagement with the barrel rim 140. The cam lever 112 freely moves to the downward position when its cam roller disengages the cam surface 88, and the springs 61 urge the bottom portions of the brackets to pivot towards each other and cause bearing surfaces 2t) on bracket 1% to disengage bearing bar 52 on bracket To lock the unit on the barrel rim 140, the operator simultaneously grasps the finger element 46 and the cam lever 112, and then causes them to pivot towards each other. This causes the cam lever 112 to move upwardly towards the position of FG. 2, and it causes finger element 44 to rotate out of the pivotal path of the cam lever. The upward rotation of the cam lever 112 causes its cam roller 124 to move back into engagement with cam surface 88 on tongue element 62, which causes the tongue element to rotate so that locking jaw 90 moves into engagement with the rim 141) of the barrel. Plungers 196 on the locking jaw are depressed into the jaw as this action takes place, and the counter-clock-Wise torque imposed on the tongue element 62 by the spring loaded plungers (FlG. 2) holds the cam surface 88 in a locked condition on roller 124 to lock the tongue element and to hold the cam lever 112 in an elevated position. The unit is then in a locked gripping position on the barrel, and two of these units are usually so secured to opposite sides of the barrel rim and then secured to the chain of a single lifting mechanism.

As the lifting chain 134 exerts a lifting force on the bracket 34, springs 61 are slightly compressed and the bracket 34 in FlG. 2 rotates in a clock-wise direction a small increment (FIG. 6) until the forward face of the bearing bar 52 engages the bearing surfaces 20 of bracket 1t); said bar 52 limiting any further pivotal action of the brackets. Prior to the exertion of this force (FIGURE 2), surface 66 on tongue element 62 is free from engagement with the bar S2, but the tongue element is already locked in position through the above described relationship between roller 124 and cam surface S8. As the lifting chain 134 releases its lifting force on bracket 34; the lower end of linger 44 engages lip 123 on cam lever 112 and the expanding springs 61 acting through bracket 34 cause the finger 44 to overcome the resistance imposed by the spring loaded plungers 1%, and the cam lever is thereupon depressed by the finger. This depression of cam lever 112 causes cam roller 124 to move forwardly off of cam surface 32 onto the tapered surface 86, and the cani lever 112 will thereupon drop to the position of FIG. l. The release of cam roller 124 from cam surface S3 imposes a slight clockwise rotation of tongue element 62 (FIGURE. 2) which is afforded the tongue element either through play in pivotal mounting thereof, or through the slight clearance between the bearing surfaces 16 and 16) of the tongue, and the rim and side wall of the barrel (FIGURE 2). This impulse of rotation by tongue element 62 provides the necessary give for the cam roller 124 to disengage the cam surface 83 of the tongue element. Since tongue element 62 is thereupon disengaged from itsf locking engagement with cam roller 124, the tongue element 62 is free for` pivotal movement. The spring loaded plungers 106 inlocking jaw 90 then protrude from surface 100 and engage rim 140 to push the locking jaw 90 away from'the rim. The component parts thereupon assume the position shown in FIG. l, and the unit is completely released from the barrel. Moreover, thelunit cannot thereupon be accidentally relocked on the'barrel because finger 44- blocks the upward movement of the cam lever 112, and re-locking of the unit cannot be effected until lever 112 is manually raised in the manner described above.

As indicated, the screws 80 and 84 can beadjusted to narrow or widen the slit 72, which serves tov adjust the cam surface 88. Similarly, screw 28 can be adjusted to engage lug 118 on the bearing 114 of cam lever 112 so that the pivotal position of the cam lever can be adjusted.

The unit can be used to pick up a horizontally disposed barrel as shown in FIG. 4, with hooks 14 engaging the rim 140. With tension on the chains 134 released, the units will pivot from engagement with the rings as the chains are dragged laterally rather than upwardly with respect to the barrel. A horizontal barrel can be moved to an upright position by placing tong units on one side of the rim at one end of the barrel and then lifting the barrel. Similarly, a vertical barrel can be overturned by pulling laterally on a single tong unit secured to its top.

. Therefore, from the foregoing, itis seen that this device will accomplish at least all of its stated objectives.

Some changes may be made in the construction and arrangement of my automatic releasable grapple tongs for barrels and the like without departing from the real spirit and purpose of my invention, and it is my intention to cover by my claims, any modified forms of structure or use of mechanical equivalents which may be reasonably included within their scope.

I claim:

1. In a grapple tong device,

an elongated lower bracket,

an elongated upper bracket pivotally secured to said lower bracket,

means on said brackets for limiting their pivotal movement with respect to each other,

a tongue element pivotally secured to said upper and lower brackets,

a locking jaw portion on said tongue element adapted to engage the rim of a barrel,

a lever means movably secured to said lowerbracket,

' said lever means movably engaging said tongue element and being adapted to frictionally bind said tongue element against movement at times,

contact means on said upper bracket to engage said lever means when said brackets are pivoted towards each other to disengage said tongue element from binding engagement with said lever means,

and means on said upper bracket to connect a lifting means thereto.

2. The structure of claim 1 wherein said tongue element has a cam surface against which said lever means is adapted to frictionally bind.

3. The structure of claim 1 wherein said lock-ing jaw portion includes a spring loaded plunger that is adapted to bear against the rim of a barrel and to urge said tongue element into a position at which it can be frictionally engaged by said lever means.

4. The structure of claim 1 wherein said contact means is a spring loaded finger.

5. The structure of claim 1 wherein spring elements interconnect said brackets and yieldably cause them to pivot towards each other.

6. The structure of claim 1 wherein said contact means is a linger means pivotally secured to said upper bracket, with a spring element connecting said finger means and said upper bracket and yieldingly urging said finger means into a contacting position with said lever means when said brackets are urged towards `each other from a position ofm'aximum displacement from each other.

' 7. In a grapple device,

an elongated lower bracket,

an elongated upper bracket pivotally secured to said lower bracket, n

ybearing means on said brackets for limit-ing their rela- .tive pivotal movement,

means on said brackets for yieldingly urging said brack- 'ets to pivot towards each other',

a tongue element pivotally secured to said upper and lower brackets,

a locking jaw por-tion on said tongue element and being adapted to engage the rim of a barrel when said lower bracket is positioned on the end of a barrel,

a cam surface on said tongue element,

a cam lever pivotally secured to said lower bracket and movably engaging said cam surface andbeing adapted upon one phase of its pivotal movement to bindingly hold said tongue element in locking engagement with the rim of a barrel,

nger means on said upper bracket to contact said cam lever means when said brackets are pivoted towards each other to disengage said tongue element from binding engagement with said lever means,

and means on said upper bracket for securing a lifting means thereto.

8. The structure of claim 7 wherein a cam roller is on said cam lever to engage said cam surface.

9. The structure of claim 7 wherein a spring loaded plunger is on said locking jaw Ito yieldably engage the rim of a barrel to move said tongue element away therefrom` when said tongue element is free from binding engagement with said cam lever.

10. The structure of claim 7 wherein said cam leverY is adapted to pivot between a lower position on said lower bracket and an upper position intermediate the extreme pivotal positions of said brackets, said cam lever while in its uppermost position being normally locked on the cam surface of said tongue element.

11. The structure of claim 7 wherein said cam lever is adapted to pivot between a lower position on said lower bracket and an upper position intermediate the extreme pivotal posi-tions of said brackets, said cam lever while in its uppermost position being normally locked on the cam surface of said tongue element; said nger means being yieldably connected to said upper bracket and normally dwelling in the pivotal plane of said cam lever.

12. The structure of claim 7 wherein said tongue element includes means to adjust the position of said cam surface.

13. The structure of claim 7 wherein said tongue element includes means to adjust the position of said cam surface, comprising, an inwardly extending slit opening in one face of said tongue element above said cam surface, and means on said tongue element for forcibly opening or closingrsaid slit opening.

14. The structure of claim 7 wherein said cam lever is adapted to pivot between a lower position on said lower` bracket and an upper position intermediate the extreme pivotal positions of said brackets, said cam lever while in :its uppermost position being normally locked on the cam surface of said tongue element; said finger means being yieldably connected to said upper bracket and normally dwelling inthe pivotal plane of said cam lever, and means on said lower bracket adjusting the upper pivotal position of said cam lever.

15. The structure of claim 7 wherein a hook portion is formed on one end of said lower bracket.

16. The structure of claim 7 wherein said locking jaw portion appears at one end of said brackets and extends downwardly therefrom when said lower bracket is in a horizontal position.

17. The structure of claim 7 wherein said locking jaw portion appears at one end of said brackets and extends downwardly therefrom when said lower bracket is in a horizontal position, and said jaw portion has a substantially L-shaped bearing surface Ato engage a barrel rim of complementary shape.

18. The structure ofclaim 7wherein said locking jaw portion appears at one end of said brackets and extends downwardly therefrom whensaid lower bracket is in a horizontal position, and said jaw portion has a substantially L-shaped bearing surface to engage a barrel rim of complementary shape, and at least one spring loaded 10 8 plunger within said locking jaw and adapted to yieldingly extend outwardly from said bearing surface.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,619,372 11/52 Gardner 294-92 3,042,241 7/62 Bauman 294-104 X SAMUEL F. COLEMAN, Primary Examiner. 

1. IN A GRAPPLE TONG DEVICE, AN ELONGATED LOWER BRACKET, AN ELONGATED UPPER BRACKET PIVOTALLY SECURED TO SAID LOWER BRACKET, MEANS ON SAID BRACKETS FOR LIMITING THEIR PIVOTAL MOVEMENT WITH RESPECT TO EACH OTHER, A TONGUE ELEMENT PIVOTALLY SECURED TO SAID UPPER AND LOWER BRACKETS, A LOCKING JAW PORTION ON SAID TONGUE ELEMENT ADAPTED TO ENGAGE THE RIM OF A BARREL, A LEVER MEANS MOVABLY SECURED TO SAID LOWER BRACKET, SAID LEVER MEANS MOVABLY ENGAGING SAID TONGUE ELEMENT AND BEING ADAPTED TO FRICTIONALLY BIND SAID TONGUE ELEMENT AGAINST MOVEMENT AT TIMES, CONTACT MEANS ON SAID UPPER BRACKET TO ENGAGE SAID LEVER MEANS WHEN SAID BRACKETS ARE PIVOTED TOWARDS EACH OTHER TO DISENGAGE SAID TONGUE ELEMENT FROM BINDING ENGAGEMENT WITH SAID LEVER MEANS, AND MEANS ON SAID UPPER BRACKET TO CONNECT A LIFTING MEANS THERETO. 